Braiding machine



1,565,232 E. F. BALDWIN BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Feb. s, 1922 5sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 8

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E. F'. BALDWIN BRAID ING MACHINE Z. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb.

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Filed Feb. 5, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. F. BALDWIN Dec. 8

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Feb.

5, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet -1 E. F. BALDWIN BRAIDING MACHINE Daz. 8, 1925.

Filed Feb. 3. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED FATENT QFFEQE..

EARLy F. BALDWIN, QF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSGNOR TO AMERCAN FIBRECORPORATION, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION MASSACHU- SETTS.

BRA-initie MACHINE.

Application filed February 3, 1922.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL F. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gardner, in the county of Torcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in BraidingMachines, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to braiding inachines being more particularlydesigned to braid strands of fiber such as are formed from paper stripsand is designed to produce a Hat braid wherein, if desired, a pluralityof strands arranged side by side in one plane may be woven together as asingle strand.

The inventionV resides more especially in the manner of carrying andmoving the strand-carrying spoolsas well as novel constructions ofwinding up mechanisms and other advantageous details and combinations ofparts as will appear from a description of. an embodiment shown in theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure lis a top plan of the machine.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Figure 4; is a detail elevation at right angles to Figure 3 of thewinding up mechanism.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the winding up Yiteed looking in thedirection of the arrow A on Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a rear elevation of the spool holder.

Figure 9 is a vertical section on line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan showing diagrammatically the movementsof a guide shoe.

Figure 11 is a detail vertical section through the shoe and relatedparts.

Figure 12 is an isometric disassembled view of the shoe and spoolcarrier base.

Figure 13 is a section` onv line 13-125 of Figure 3.

Figure 14 Shows a portion of the finished prodi ict,

semi No. 533,799.

Figure 15 is a sectional detail of one end of the shoe and spool holder.

The machine comprises a table having a top plate 1 and supportingstandards or legs 2 spaced thereabout. Parallel tothe top plate andspaced therebeneath is a similar plate 3, these plates being spaced toreceive the braiding carrier actuating mechanism as will be described.The plate 1 has cut therethrough a slot formed in a closed pathcomprising two loops in substantially ligure 8 formation, as shown at 4in Figures 1 and 10, which forms a guideway for the shoes 5, the machineas herein shown having three such shoes. The portions of the plate 1within the loops of the figure 8 traclway are supported from the lowerplate 3 by means of posts 6 as indicated in Figure 2. On these posts 6are ournaled disks 7 and 8, the adjacent edges of which overlap as shownin Figure 2. These disks 7 and 8 are formed with peripheral notches 9and 10 for the reception of stems 11 depending from the slices as shownbest in Figure 11.

Each shoe comprises an elongated member 12 pointed at its ends as shownbest in Figure 12 which rides within the slot 1. The member 12 is heldin position between the side faces of the plate 1 by means of a pair ofretaining members or plates 18 and 14 while above the plate 111 ispositioned a base member 15 of a spool carrier 16. The members 1B, 14and 1.5 are held in assembled relation with the member 12 by means of abolt 17 having an upper portion 18 journaled in the base 15, anintermediate portion 19 of smaller diameter threaded through the members141-, the member 12, and the lower plate 13, and a lower portion formedas the stem 11, these parts being held assembled by means of a washer 2Oabove the base plate 15 and a nut 21 engaging the lower end of thethreaded portion. By this construction the shoe is retained in positionin the guideway and the spool holder is mounted for pivotal movementrelative thereto on the bolt 17.

Due to the shape of the guideway it is evident that as the shoemovcstherein it is rotated end for end. This rotation of the shoe wouldcause the strands to be twisted if its motion were communicated to spoolholder, this twisting causing the braid to be woven in round formationrather than tlat as is desired in this machine. In order to counteractthis rotation this invention provides means tor locking the spool holderto the shoe during the major portion of its traverse but at certaintimes imparting a reverse rotation to the spool holder to counteract theturning motion of the shoe, thus causing the strands to be presentedwithout twist. For this purpose the retaining plate la is provided atopposite sides with notches 23 and cooperating with these notches tolock the spool holder to the shoe is a latch 24. As shown in Figure l1this latch is pivoted at 25 in a recess 2G in the lower side ol' thebase member 15 and its free end, urged downwardly by a spring 27 seatedin a socket therein and reacting against the lower face of the basemember, is adapted to engage in one or the other of the notches 23.lllhen the latch is in position in either notch 23 it is evident thatthe spool holder and shoe are locked against relative pivotal movement.It is necessary that the latch be released twice in each cycle ofmovement of the shoe so that the spool holder may be turned one half arevolution at each release so that as the shoe is traversed and isturned once completely endwise, the spool carrier is turned one completerotation in the opposite direction relative to the shoe so as tomaintain the strands untwisted.

ln order to release this latch a cam 30 is l'ixed to the upper face ofthe table plate l and is provided with an upstanding tzq'iered edge 3lon which the latch 24trides so that it is raised up ftrom engagementwith the notch 223. lVhen so raised provision is made for turning thespool carrier one halt a revolution, rlhis means comprises a hook memberpivoted at 3G to the plate 1. and having a curved hook end 37, aseparate wear piece 8S ol hardened .inateri al being prel'erablyinserted in a lmating` recess in the hook at the base et the portion 37.

The base plate l5 has upstanding thereitroln an opposite ends a pair otposts Ll() joined at their upper ends by a cross bar -ll (Figures l, 3,and l0). These posts project somewhat below the lower faces of themember l5 (Figure 15) in position to strike on the curved hook faces 3,each which is normally held in position to be so engaged by means ot aspring` engaging at one end a bracket 4l@ extending outwardly from thetable and at the other end at il? with the rear end of the hook, a stopi8 being positioned on the upper face of the plate l to determine theextent of forward movement `ot' the portion 37.

Referring now to Figure l0 the position .et the arts is shown in fulllines .betere the post t() eugvges with the hook jt'ace 31T,

succeeding positions being indicated in dotted lines. As the post l0engages on the hook face 37 this post is held from iurther motion withthe shoe, causing the post ll() to move outwardly as the shoe swingingthe hook about its pivot and turning the reel carrier base so that itslength extends substantially at right angles to the direction of theshoe movement. At this point the rear end of the'hook strikes anabutment screw threaded in a lug 51 at the side of the table. Furthermovement of the shoe then causes the post l0 to ride down the inclinedface 37 completing the half turning movement of the plate l5 relative tothe shoe, the spring 45 acting on the hook tending to complete thismovement. [Ls the plate l5 resumes its position longitudinally of theshoe the latch 24 springs into the opposite notch 23 thus locking theshoe and spool carrier against relative rotation until the latch isreleased by engagement with the other cam 30.

In order to insure the motion of the spool carrier sutliciently to bringthe notch 23 into position to be engaged by the latch 24 a cam isprovided. rlhis cam indicated at 60, is pivoted at one end at (il toplate l, and is formed with a curved inner face (52 positioned to engagethe side and end faces of the spool carrier base l5 and urge it intoproper position relative to the retainingplate l-lf. The cam is helddownwardly against the table plate l by means ot a bolt (33 passingthrough an arcuate slot 6i in the tree end oli the cam member and thisend ot' the cam member is normally urged iuto position to impinge on thebase plate l5 by means of a plunger (55 carried in a socket member GGliXed to the side of thel machine. The plungerli is normally urgedinwardly toward the cam (5() by means of a coil spring GT engaging itsouter end and reacting between it and an adjusting screw (38 threaded inthe outer end of the socket member r. This insures the complete turningoi the spool holder to locking position relative lo the shoe even thoughthe hook 35 should fail to entirely complete this action. lv

this means it is seen that the spool carrier i is turned in reversedirection to the shoe in steps of one half a turn each adjacent op`posite ends of the looped pathway in which the shoe moves.

The shoe is caused to move in its path by rotation ot the plates 7 and8, the stud 1l being carried in one oi the notches 9 and beingtransferred to one of the notches l() and vice versa at the point o'loverlap ot the disks, the shape of the guide slot and the shoe beingsuch that the shoe may not continue movement with either of the disks 7or 8 beyond the overlapping position thereo't. These disks are driven byintermeshing lgears fixed to the disks 7 yand 8, one el? moves,

lll() llO these gears bei1'1gdriven'from a-pinion 71V iixed to avertical'l'stubisliaft"'72'whichl carries beneath the plate 3 beveligear73." This gear 73 is driven'by a bevel pinion 74 lixed to a horizontalshaft'75 to which may be clutched la gear 76.' This gear is driven` froma pinion 77 fixed to the armature shaft or a motor`78. The motor and thevarious connecting shafts `are carried 'on a-shelf' 79 suspended byhangers 80from" the plate 3. The clutch for the gear 76 may be of anysuitable form and as shown is controlled bv a hand lever 81 to whichispivoted a'reach rrod82 connected through a yoke 83 tothe clutch shown at84.

Each reel carrier base 15 is adapted'to support a plurality of strandcarryingspools, herein three being indicated at 85. Each spool issupported on a spindle and the` strandvle-dofttherefrom in a mannerindi` cated in Figures 8 and 9. Referring to these figures a bracket 86is ixed tothe upper sur-face of the baseplate 15 and carries upwardlyextending therefrom' a spindle 87. Thisspindle is threaded at 88 inaiportion of 4the bracket and a nut 89 is employed to lock the spindlein position. The spool is indicated at` 90 and rits down over thespindle 87 for rotation thereon. The upper end of the spindle 87isvormedwith asoclret 91 in which is'positioned a coil spring 92. This spring isadapted to react between the bottom of the socket andthe lower end of aplug93 having a knurled head`94, this plug having a laterallyextendingpin 95 which may pass through a slot 96 extending lengthwise ofthe spindle and terminating in a hooked lower end 97 in which the pinmay be seated'by rotation of the plug relative to the spindle. Thisserves to retain the spool in position on the spindle. The upper end of'the spool is formed `with a ilange 98 which is circumferentiallyrecessedv to receive a ring member 99. This ring member has a series of'lugs, or teeth 100 thereon having. inclined faces101', these lugsforming ratchet teeth by which the spool may be prevented fromrotation'on therspindle in a 'direction'to unwind the strand. Frengagement with these'ratch'et teeth to prevent rotation is a latchmember 102 which is verticallyr movable between upstandingA jaws. 103 ofa guide plate 104. This guide plate has a boss 105 depending therefromwhich is perforated foi-the slidable reception ola pi'nr106 made fast atits upper end inthe latchv member 102 and extending downwardly below theend ofthe boss 105, Adjacent.the` lower endet lthis pin 'is a'washer107supported on a pin 108 passing transverselythi'ough the pin 106 andon this washer is's'upported the lower end of a coil spring` 109'reacting against `the underr face ofthe guideplate 104. By this meansthe latch 102is n'ormally held seated between the'jaws 103, butlbylii'ting'the latch member 102, against the the spool may thenV be`removed from the spindle, this construction permitting ready renewal ofthe spools as the strand thereon becomes exhausted. The guide plate'104is supported at the upperend of la pair ot' guide posts 110 which aremade fast at their ends in the bracketA 86. Intermediate theseposts ispositioned'abar 111 having a'strand eye or guide 112 therein.The-strandfroni the spoolpasses through this eye and then` beneath aguide roll 113 journaled in a bracketme1nber114 which is vertically slidable on the guide posts110. This bracket'is normally heldin its lowestposition on these posts by means of coil'springs 115 reacting betweenthe lower face of the guide member 104 and the bracket 114. On tensionbeing exerted on thel strand tending to unwind the spool, as the spoolis held against rotation by lat-ch 102, thep-bracket'l114 is raisedupwardly against the tension ofthe springsuntil yits upper end ycontactswith theendot` the pin 106 and raises the latch 102' suiiiciently topermit 'the spool ito rotate. As the spool is then free to rotate thesprings 115` exert a rotating impulse thereon which draws oii thematerial from the spool.

The strands from all the spools vpass to a guide member at which thebraiding takes place, this guide member being' indicate-d generally atin Figure 3. Thismember is supported on a transverse bar 121 carried atopposite ends ina standard 122 and anupstanding frame comprising -siderails 145 and a cross bar 123, the standard and the frame extendingupwardly. intermediate the length ofthe machine' and is carried by asleeve 124 adjustable'` along the bar 121. This sleeve has anilpstanding guide portion 125 in which is vertically slidable a plate126, a bolt 127 carried by the portion 125 and passing` through avertical slot in the plate 126 providing for' such slidable adjustment.The plate 126 has fast thereto a frame member or yoke 127to the upperend of'which is pivoted' by a lateral extension 128 a similar member129. Each. of these members carries a roller at itslower end. Therollers 130 are normally held. together into close engagement with thevarious strands forming the braidl by means of a cam device shown'morein detail inFigures 1 and 13. This device comprises a cam 132 pivoted at133 to the outer end of arod 134 which extends through the members 127and`129` and carries a nut 135 beyond the member 127 to hold it inposition. Between the members 127 and125 a coil spring 136 reacts, thisspring surrounding th`e`rod 134.

Ill)

The cam member 132 is formed with a cam face 137 Which engages the outerface of the yoke 129 and is provided with a handle por tion 13S by whichit may be turned into and out of camming relation to this yoke. Vvlhenthe cam is in camming relation the rolls are urged firmly together, butwhen the handle 138 is pulled outwardly the spring 136 forces the yokemembers apart slightly to relieve the pressure on the braid. The braidpasses over the rollers 136 and to a driven take-up mechanism supportedby the post 123. This mechanism comprises a series of rolls 140, 141,and 142, each roll preferably having a central portion which engages thebraid formed of yieldable material such as rubber as shown at The braidpasses over the upper roll 140 beneath and between this roll and theroll 141 and then between the rolls 141 and 142, this causing anengagement of the surfaces 143 over a considerable length of the braidso as to increase the frictional holding of the rolls thereon. Theserolls are positively driven, intermeshing gears 144 at each end of thesevarious rolls being employed for this purpose. The upper roll 140 hasfast thereto outwardly of a pair of spaced rails 145 in which the rollsare journaled, a gear 146 which is driven from a pinion 147 carried by ashaft 148 on the opposite end of which is fixed a worm gear 149. Thisworm gear meshes with a worm 150 on a vertically extending shaft 151journaled in a bearing bracket 152 projecting laterally from one of theside pieces 145. This shaft carries at its lower end a gear 153 withwhich is adapted to mesh a gear 154, the gear 154 being a change gearcarried by a shaft 155 (see Figure 2) mounted to slide in an arcuateslot 156 concentric with the plate S. This gear meshes with thecorresponding gear 70, and by substitution of gears of various sizes onthe shaft 155, the rate of feed of the rolls may be varied to suit thecharacter of the work. The arcuate slot mounting of the shaft 155permits gears of various sizes to be adjusted to mesh with the gear 70and the gear 153. The bars 145 are attached to either side of the post123.

After passing between the lower rolls 141 and 142 the braid passesthrough a guide eye 160 in a guide bar 161 (see Figures 3 to 6). rlheguide bar 161 is mounted to slide in a pair of arms 162 and 1.63 whichproject up- -wardly from a bracket 164 made fast to one side of theframe. These arms 162 and 163 have journaled therein a shaft 165 whichprojects beyond the arm 163 and has fixed thereto a belt pulley 166 andcarries a winding reel 167. A belt indicated at 168 passes about thisbelt pulley 166, is crossed inten mediate its length and passes over. apulley 169 mounted to rotate with the roll 140. .Provision is made bywhich the bar 161 is moved parallel to the shaft 165 in order to guidethe braid as it is wound from one end to the other of the reel. For thispurpose the bar 161 has in one face thereof a groove 170, this groovebeing in the form of an elongated loop extending lengthwise of the barand within this loop are fixed a series of pins 171 extending outwardlyfrom the face of the bar, these pins being spaced to mesh with a pinion172. This pinion is carried by a shaft 173 having its end 174 shaped tolit within the groove to be guided for traversing movement thereby. heshaft 173 is fixed within the end of a shaft 174 which is journaled in ayoke 175, the arms 176 of which are mounted for rocking movement on thedrive shaft 165 between the arms 162 and 163. Within this yoke the shaft174 has fixed thereto a bevel gear 177 which meshes with a bevel pinion173 lixed to the shaft 165. By this construction as the shaft 165 isrotated the gear 174 is rotated causing a transverse movement inopposite directions of the bar 161 by engagement of the pins 171 withthe teeth of the pinion 172. As the bar 161 traverses, the gear 172 isheld in engagement with the pins 171 by the end of the shaft 174engaging' in the slot 170. As it reaches the end of traverse in onedirection the por tion 174 riding in the slot 170 causes the yoke totilt slightly about the shaft 165 as an axis and as the pinion 172rotates about the end pin of the series it starts the traverse of thebar 161 in the opposite direction. This is illustrated in Figure 5 inwhich the positions of the pinion 172 with relation to the bar arelshown in dotted lines when the shaft 174 engages in upper and lowerreaches of the looped groove, these being the positions in which the baris traversed in opposite directions. By this construction the braid isled evenly throughout the length of the reel 167 as it is wound thereon.

The braid formed by this machine is indicated in Figure14. As shown thismachine has three shuttles each carrying a spool holder having threespools though various numbers of shuttles and spools might be employedas well as additional lobes or loops for the path of travel of eachshoe. The strands therefore are let out in three groups of three strandseach. By causing a plurality of spools to be carried by each shuttle andcausing a relative turning movement between the spool holders and theshoes, all the strands of each group are caused to lie in a common planeand the strands of all the groups are so related as to form a flatbraid. The strands of one of these groups are indicated at a, and c, ofthe second group by (l, e, and 7, and the third group by g, 7L, and z',in Figure 14.

Having thus described an embodiment of this invention it should beevident that many changes and modifications might be made thereinWithout departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appendedclaims.

I claim: Y

l. In a machine of the class described, a track arranged in a closedpath, a shoe movable along said path, a spool holder pivoted to saidshoe, means to lock said holder to said shoe to prevent relative pivotalmovement thereof, means for rendering said locking means inoperative atcertain positions of said shoe on said track, and means for turning saidholder relative to said shoe While said locking means is inoperative.

2. In a machine of the class described, a track arranged in a closedpath, a shoe movable along said path, a spool holder pivoted to saidshoe, means to lock said holder to said shoe in any of a plurality ofsaid positions to prevent relative pivotal movement thereof, means forrendering said locking means inoperative in certain positions of saidshoe on said track, and means for turning said holder relative to saidshoe from one to another of said positions While said locking means isinoperative.

In a machine of the class described, a track arranged. in a closed path,a shoe movable along said path, a spool holder pivoted to said shoe,means to lock said holder to said shoe in any of a plurality of saidpositions to prevent relative pivotal movement thereof, means forrendering said locking means inoperative in certain positions of saidshoe on said track, means for turning said holder relative to said shoefrom one to another of said positions While said locking means isinoperative, and means for insuring the locking together of said shoeand carrier in said latter position.

at. In a machine of the class described, a track, a pair of memberscomprising a shoe movable along said track and a spool holder pivoted tosaid shoe, a latch carried by one of said members adapted to normallyengage in any of a plurality of notches in the other of said members toprevent relative rotation thereof, a cam ixed adjacent said track forengaging and removing said latch from a notch at a point in the movementof said shoe, and means acting While said latch is removed for turningsaid holder relative to said shoe into position for said latch to engagein another of said notches.

5. In a machine of the class described, a track, a pair of memberscomprising a shoe movable along said track and a spool holder pivoted tosaid shoe, a latch carried by one of said members adapted to normallyengage in any of a plurality of notches in the other of said members toprevent relative rotation thereof, a cam fixed adjacent said track forengaging and removing said latch from a notch at a point in the movementof said shoe, means acting While said latch is removed for turning saidholder relative to said shoe into position for said latch to engage inanother of said notches, and means for insuring the proper relativepositions of said members to permit the latch to engage said latternotch.

G. In a machine of the class described, a plate having a slot defining acontinuous track, a shoe movable in said slot, means comprising anotched plate engaging opposite sides of said plate and fixed to saidshoe for retaining said shoe imposition, a spool holder pivoted to saidshoe, and a latch carried by said holder and engageable in a notch ofsaid retaining plate for locking said holder from pivotal motionrelative to said shoe.

7. In a machine of the class described, a track, a shoe movable alongsaid track, a spool holder pivoted to said shoe, means to hold saidspool holder against pivotal movement in any of a plurality of relativepositions, means for releasing said holding means at predeterminedpoints in the movement of said shoe, means to turn said spool holderrelative to said shoe When said holding means is released, and a camresiliently urging said holder into a suceceding locking positionrelative to said shoe.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

EARL F. BALDWIN.

